{{Merge|Network Installation Guide|needs to be rewritten into sub-articles; duplicated information}}

+

In this guide, PXE is used to boot the installation media with an appropriate option-rom that supports PXE on the target.

−

The Preboot eXecution Environment allows you to boot the installation media using a network interface (with an appropriate option-rom that supports PXE on the target), independent of any storage devices.

== Preparation ==

== Preparation ==

−

[[Archiso]] makes it fairly trivial to use the official install media directly to set up PXE booting and, unlike earlier methods (archboot), does not require any modification and can be used as-is.

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Download the latest official install media from [https://www.archlinux.org/download/ here].

−

−

Download the latest official install media from your [[Mirrors|favorite mirror]].

You will need to setup a DHCP, TFTP, and HTTP server to configure networking, load pxelinux/kernel/initramfs, and finally load the root filesystem (respectively).

=== Network ===

=== Network ===

Line 50:

Line 36:

=== DHCP + TFTP ===

=== DHCP + TFTP ===

−

You'll need both a DHCP and TFTP server to configure networking on the install target and to facilitate the transfer of files between the PXE server and client; dnsmasq does both, and is extremely easy to set up.

+

You will need both a DHCP and TFTP server to configure networking on the install target and to facilitate the transfer of files between the PXE server and client; dnsmasq does both, and is extremely easy to set up.

Install {{pkg|dnsmasq}}:

Install {{pkg|dnsmasq}}:

Line 63:

Line 49:

bind-interfaces

bind-interfaces

dhcp-range=192.168.0.50,192.168.0.150,12h

dhcp-range=192.168.0.50,192.168.0.150,12h

−

dhcp-boot=/arch/boot/syslinux/pxelinux.0

+

dhcp-boot=/arch/boot/syslinux/lpxelinux.0

dhcp-option-force=209,boot/syslinux/archiso.cfg

dhcp-option-force=209,boot/syslinux/archiso.cfg

dhcp-option-force=210,/arch/

dhcp-option-force=210,/arch/

Line 72:

Line 58:

{{bc|# systemctl start dnsmasq.service}}

{{bc|# systemctl start dnsmasq.service}}

−

−

For those still using sysvinit:

−

−

{{bc|# rc.d start dnsmasq}}

=== HTTP ===

=== HTTP ===

−

Due recent changes in [[Archiso|archiso]], it is now possible to boot from HTTP (archiso_pxe_http initcpio hook) or NFS (archiso_pxe_nfs initcpio hook); among all alternatives, darkhttpd is by far the most trivial to setup (and the lightest-weight).

+

Thanks to recent changes in [[Archiso|archiso]], it is now possible to boot from HTTP (archiso_pxe_http initcpio hook) or NFS (archiso_pxe_nfs initcpio hook); among all alternatives, darkhttpd is by far the most trivial to setup (and the lightest-weight).

First, install {{pkg|darkhttpd}}:

First, install {{pkg|darkhttpd}}:

Line 93:

Line 75:

== Installation ==

== Installation ==

−

For this portion you'll need to figure out how to tell the client to attempt a PXE boot; in the corner of the screen along with the normal post messages, usually there will be some hint on which key to press to try PXE booting first. On an IBM x3650 ''F12'' brings up a boot menu, the first option of which is ''Network''; on a Dell PE 1950/2950 pressing ''F12'' initiates PXE booting directly.

+

For this portion you will need to figure out how to tell the client to attempt a PXE boot; in the corner of the screen along with the normal post messages, usually there will be some hint on which key to press to try PXE booting first. On an IBM x3650 ''F12'' brings up a boot menu, the first option of which is ''Network''; on a Dell PE 1950/2950 pressing ''F12'' initiates PXE booting directly.

=== Boot ===

=== Boot ===

−

Looking at {{ic|/var/log/messages.log}} on the PXE server will provide some additional insight to what exactly is going on during the early stages of the PXE boot process:

+

Looking at [[Systemd#Journal|journald]] on the PXE server will provide some additional insight to what exactly is going on during the early stages of the PXE boot process:

dnsmasq-tftp[2544]: sent /mnt/archiso/arch/boot/syslinux/splash.png to 192.168.0.110</nowiki>}}

dnsmasq-tftp[2544]: sent /mnt/archiso/arch/boot/syslinux/splash.png to 192.168.0.110</nowiki>}}

−

After you load {{ic|pxelinux.0}} and {{ic|archiso.cfg}} via TFTP, you'll (hopefully) be presented with a [[Syslinux|syslinux]] boot menu with several options, two of which are of potential usefulness to us.

+

After you load {{ic|pxelinux.0}} and {{ic|archiso.cfg}} via TFTP, you will (hopefully) be presented with a [[Syslinux|syslinux]] boot menu with several options, two of which are of potential usefulness to us.

After the root filesystem is downloaded via HTTP, you'll eventually end up at a root zsh prompt with that fancy [https://www.archlinux.org/packages/extra/any/grml-zsh-config/ grml config].

+

After the root filesystem is downloaded via HTTP, you will eventually end up at a root zsh prompt with that fancy [https://www.archlinux.org/packages/extra/any/grml-zsh-config/ grml config].

=== Post-boot ===

=== Post-boot ===

−

Unless you want all traffic to be routed through your PXE server (which won't work anyway unless you [[Simple Stateful Firewall#Setting up a NAT gateway|set it up properly]]), you'll want to kill {{pkg|dnsmasq}} and get a new lease on the install target, as appropriate for your network layout.

+

Unless you want all traffic to be routed through your PXE server (which will not work anyway unless you [[Simple stateful firewall#Setting up a NAT gateway|set it up properly]]), you will want to kill {{pkg|dnsmasq}} and get a new lease on the install target, as appropriate for your network layout.

{{bc|# systemctl stop dnsmasq.service}}

{{bc|# systemctl stop dnsmasq.service}}

−

For {{pkg|sysvinit}} users:

+

You can also kill {{pkg|darkhttpd}}; the target has already downloaded the root filesystem, so it's no longer needed. While you are at it, you can also unmount the installation image:

−

−

{{bc|# rc.d stop dnsmasq}}

−

−

You can also kill {{pkg|darkhttpd}}; the target has already downloaded the root filesystem, so it's no longer needed. While you're at it, you can also unmount the installation image:

{{bc|# umount /mnt/archiso}}

{{bc|# umount /mnt/archiso}}

−

At this point you can follow the [[Installation_Guide|official installation guide]].

+

At this point you can follow the [[Installation guide|official installation guide]].

== Alternate Methods ==

== Alternate Methods ==

−

−

{{Accuracy|verify}}

−

{{Expansion}}

As implied in the syslinux menu, there are several other alternatives:

As implied in the syslinux menu, there are several other alternatives:

Line 170:

Line 145:

=== NFS ===

=== NFS ===

−

You will need to setup a [[NFS|NFS server]] with the root export at the root of your mounted installation media--that would be {{ic|/mnt/archiso}} if you followed the [[PXE#Preparation|earlier sections]] of this guide.

+

You will need to set up an [[NFS|NFS server]] with an export at the root of your mounted installation media, which would be {{ic|/mnt/archiso}} if you followed the [[#Preparation|earlier sections]] of this guide. After setting up the server, add the following line to your {{ic|/etc/exports}} file:

+

+

{{hc|/etc/exports|/mnt/archiso 192.168.0.0/24(ro,no_subtree_check)}}

+

+

If the server was already running, re-export the filesystems with {{ic|exportfs -r -a -v}}.

+

+

The default settings in the installer expect to find the NFS at {{ic|/run/archiso/bootmnt}}, so you will need to edit the boot options. To do this, press Tab on the appropriate boot menu choice and edit the {{ic|archiso_nfs_srv}} option accordingly:

+

+

{{bc|1=archiso_nfs_srv=${pxeserver}:/mnt/archiso}}

+

+

Alternatively, you can use {{ic|/run/archiso/bootmnt}} for the entire process.

+

+

After the kernel loads, the Arch bootstrap image will copy the root filesystem via NFS to the booting host. This can take a little while. Once this completes, you should have a running system.

=== NBD ===

=== NBD ===

+

+

{{Accuracy|verify}}

+

{{Expansion}}

Install {{pkg|nbd}} and configure it:

Install {{pkg|nbd}} and configure it:

Line 180:

Line 170:

[archiso]

[archiso]

readonly = true

readonly = true

−

exportname = /dev/disk/by-label/ARCH_201208}}

+

exportname = /srv/archlinux-2013.02.01-dual.iso}}

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+

=== Low memory ===

−

== See Also ==

+

The {{ic|copytoram}} [[mkinitcpio|initramfs]] option can be used to control whether the root filesystem should be copied to ram in its entirety in early-boot.

−

* [[Wikipedia: Preboot Execution Environment]]

+

It highly recommended to leave this option alone, and should only be disabled if entirely necessary (systems with less than ~256MB physical memory). Append {{ic|<nowiki>copytoram=n</nowiki>}} to your kernel line if you wish to do so. You should be aware that this option currently does not work if using HTTP for the transfer; NFS or NBD must be used.

Preparation

Server setup

You will need to setup a DHCP, TFTP, and HTTP server to configure networking, load pxelinux/kernel/initramfs, and finally load the root filesystem (respectively).

Network

Bring up your wired NIC, and assign it an address appropriately.

# ip link set eth0 up
# ip addr add 192.168.0.1/24 dev eth0

DHCP + TFTP

You will need both a DHCP and TFTP server to configure networking on the install target and to facilitate the transfer of files between the PXE server and client; dnsmasq does both, and is extremely easy to set up.

HTTP

Thanks to recent changes in archiso, it is now possible to boot from HTTP (archiso_pxe_http initcpio hook) or NFS (archiso_pxe_nfs initcpio hook); among all alternatives, darkhttpd is by far the most trivial to setup (and the lightest-weight).

Installation

For this portion you will need to figure out how to tell the client to attempt a PXE boot; in the corner of the screen along with the normal post messages, usually there will be some hint on which key to press to try PXE booting first. On an IBM x3650 F12 brings up a boot menu, the first option of which is Network; on a Dell PE 1950/2950 pressing F12 initiates PXE booting directly.

Boot

Looking at journald on the PXE server will provide some additional insight to what exactly is going on during the early stages of the PXE boot process:

# journalctl -u dnsmasq -f

dnsmasq-dhcp[2544]: DHCPDISCOVER(eth1) 00:1a:64:6a:a2:4d
dnsmasq-dhcp[2544]: DHCPOFFER(eth1) 192.168.0.110 00:1a:64:6a:a2:4d
dnsmasq-dhcp[2544]: DHCPREQUEST(eth1) 192.168.0.110 00:1a:64:6a:a2:4d
dnsmasq-dhcp[2544]: DHCPACK(eth1) 192.168.0.110 00:1a:64:6a:a2:4d
dnsmasq-tftp[2544]: sent /mnt/archiso/arch/boot/syslinux/pxelinux.0 to 192.168.0.110
dnsmasq-tftp[2544]: sent /mnt/archiso/arch/boot/syslinux/archiso.cfg to 192.168.0.110
dnsmasq-tftp[2544]: sent /mnt/archiso/arch/boot/syslinux/whichsys.c32 to 192.168.0.110
dnsmasq-tftp[2544]: sent /mnt/archiso/arch/boot/syslinux/archiso_pxe_choose.cfg to 192.168.0.110
dnsmasq-tftp[2544]: sent /mnt/archiso/arch/boot/syslinux/ifcpu64.c32 to 192.168.0.110
dnsmasq-tftp[2544]: sent /mnt/archiso/arch/boot/syslinux/archiso_pxe_both_inc.cfg to 192.168.0.110
dnsmasq-tftp[2544]: sent /mnt/archiso/arch/boot/syslinux/archiso_head.cfg to 192.168.0.110
dnsmasq-tftp[2544]: sent /mnt/archiso/arch/boot/syslinux/archiso_pxe32.cfg to 192.168.0.110
dnsmasq-tftp[2544]: sent /mnt/archiso/arch/boot/syslinux/archiso_pxe64.cfg to 192.168.0.110
dnsmasq-tftp[2544]: sent /mnt/archiso/arch/boot/syslinux/archiso_tail.cfg to 192.168.0.110
dnsmasq-tftp[2544]: sent /mnt/archiso/arch/boot/syslinux/vesamenu.c32 to 192.168.0.110
dnsmasq-tftp[2544]: sent /mnt/archiso/arch/boot/syslinux/splash.png to 192.168.0.110

After you load pxelinux.0 and archiso.cfg via TFTP, you will (hopefully) be presented with a syslinux boot menu with several options, two of which are of potential usefulness to us.

Select either

Boot Arch Linux (x86_64) (HTTP)

or

Boot Arch Linux (i686) (HTTP)

depending on your CPU architecture.

Next the kernel and initramfs (appropriate for the architecture you selected) will be transferred, again via TFTP:

dnsmasq-tftp[2544]: sent /mnt/archiso/arch/boot/x86_64/vmlinuz to 192.168.0.110
dnsmasq-tftp[2544]: sent /mnt/archiso/arch/boot/x86_64/archiso.img to 192.168.0.110

If all goes well, you should then see activity on darkhttpd coming from the PXE-target; at this point the kernel would be loaded on the PXE-target, and in init:

After the root filesystem is downloaded via HTTP, you will eventually end up at a root zsh prompt with that fancy grml config.

Post-boot

Unless you want all traffic to be routed through your PXE server (which will not work anyway unless you set it up properly), you will want to kill dnsmasq and get a new lease on the install target, as appropriate for your network layout.

# systemctl stop dnsmasq.service

You can also kill darkhttpd; the target has already downloaded the root filesystem, so it's no longer needed. While you are at it, you can also unmount the installation image:

Alternate Methods

As implied in the syslinux menu, there are several other alternatives:

NFS

You will need to set up an NFS server with an export at the root of your mounted installation media, which would be /mnt/archiso if you followed the earlier sections of this guide. After setting up the server, add the following line to your /etc/exports file:

/etc/exports

/mnt/archiso 192.168.0.0/24(ro,no_subtree_check)

If the server was already running, re-export the filesystems with exportfs -r -a -v.

The default settings in the installer expect to find the NFS at /run/archiso/bootmnt, so you will need to edit the boot options. To do this, press Tab on the appropriate boot menu choice and edit the archiso_nfs_srv option accordingly:

archiso_nfs_srv=${pxeserver}:/mnt/archiso

Alternatively, you can use /run/archiso/bootmnt for the entire process.

After the kernel loads, the Arch bootstrap image will copy the root filesystem via NFS to the booting host. This can take a little while. Once this completes, you should have a running system.

Low memory

The copytoraminitramfs option can be used to control whether the root filesystem should be copied to ram in its entirety in early-boot.

It highly recommended to leave this option alone, and should only be disabled if entirely necessary (systems with less than ~256MB physical memory). Append copytoram=n to your kernel line if you wish to do so. You should be aware that this option currently does not work if using HTTP for the transfer; NFS or NBD must be used.